Leap of Faith
by Kristen3
Summary: It's the day after the infamous "Nightmare Inn" performance. Daphne's unexpected reaction to Niles' acting gives him the courage to do something even more daring - reveal his heart to her. One-shot.


Niles smiled as Daphne opened the door. His heart leaped as she returned the smile.

But the look on Frasier's face was far less welcoming. "Hello, Niles. Or should I call you Hans, the 'mulpipule murderer'?"

"Oh, Frasier, you can't still be upset over that!" Niles responded.

Frasier rolled his eyes. "Of course I am! All day at work, people were talking about _you_."

"Don't mind your brother, Dr. Crane. Your father and I enjoyed your performance!" Daphne said.

"Thank you, Daphne," he replied, touched by her compliment. "The whole thing happened so quickly, I can barely even remember what I did." He laughed nervously.

"Oh, well, for starters, you went completely off-book, and you _murdered_ the entire cast!" Frasier said.

"Well, I'm not the only one who messed up, Frasier. If you'll recall, Roz's little 'speech impediment' started the whole disaster!"

Frasier's blood boiled as Niles continued to push his buttons. He opened his mouth to respond to his brother's comment.

"Dr. Crane, don't be so hard on your brother!" Daphne said suddenly.

Frasier was so taken aback by her outburst, he hardly knew what to say. But it really wasn't that much of a surprise. Niles was forever defending Daphne, so now it was only natural she'd return the favor. This argument was pointless anyway. Frasier saw no use in continuing it, so he just walked out of the room in disgust.

"Thank you for sticking up for me, Daphne," Niles said as he watched his brother leave.

Daphne blushed. "Well, I'm tired of him going on about his bloody show. It may not have gone the way he planned, but it wasn't so bad. I never knew you could do so many different voices!"

"Oh, you mean like this?" he asked. "'I was at the movies!'" He once again used the high-pitched cartoon voice he'd used to play Pepo, the dwarf. Daphne laughed out loud, causing Niles' head to spin.

"That was me favorite part. Well, that and Gil trying to do his 'boyhood in Surrey' speech."

Niles smiled, remembering. At the time, he'd been so angry with Frasier, he hadn't really seen the humor in the situation. But he had to admit, it was pretty funny. "I just wish Frasier saw it the way you do," he said.

"Don't worry about your brother," Daphne replied. "He's just mad because he didn't get to be the center of attention. Performing like that must've been difficult, and you should be proud of yourself!"

Her words gave Niles a sense of confidence he'd never felt before. And she was right, too. Doing that radio play had been way outside his comfort zone. On the rare times that he spoke in public, it was to give a speech about some aspect of psychiatry. But this had been something far different. And he'd survived it. So, maybe he should take another leap. He looked out the window at Frasier's balcony. The sky was clear and beautiful. Perhaps such a secluded setting would be appropriate for what he planned to do. "Daphne, can we talk out there for a moment? I think we'd have a bit more privacy on the balcony."

Daphne shrugged. "Sure." She had no idea why he'd want to have privacy for a casual conversation, but she trusted him enough to go along.

When they were both safely out on the balcony, Niles looked into Daphne's eyes for a moment. He could see her smiling. She was probably recalling his antics in last night's radio play. The knowledge that something he'd done had made her so happy was thrilling. It made him all the more determined to make his move. "Daphne, I can't tell you how much it means to me that you enjoyed my performance in Frasier's play."

"Well, of course I did," Daphne said. "Even your father said it was the best thing he's heard on the radio in a long time! It's a good thing your brother didn't hear that!" She laughed once again.

The sound of Daphne's laughter rang in Niles' ear. It was more beautiful than any symphony. "Well, I'm glad you liked it. I was a little afraid you'd think it was silly, a man in my profession, making a fool of himself on the radio."

"I'd never think you were silly, Dr. Crane. You're my friend, and nothing could ever change that!" She hugged him tightly.

Niles had to work to keep his balance as a sudden wave of dizziness hit. It then occurred to him that he and Daphne were several stories up. He looked out at the horizon nervously.

"Perhaps we'd better go back inside," Daphne said. She opened the door, then gently took his hand and led him back into the apartment. "Heights make you nervous, don't they? But you'll be fine in here." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Yes, I do have a bit of a fear of heights. But right now I'm worried about something else. You see, there's something I want to tell you, and it's a bit difficult to say."

Daphne squeezed his hand once again. "Whatever is on your mind, just say it. I promise I won't laugh."

Niles knew he had to stop beating around the bush. "What I want to say is, I love you."

"That's very sweet, Dr. Crane. I love you, too." She hugged him once again, kissing his cheek.

"No, Daphne, I don't think you quite understand. I meant I _love_ you."

"You love me?" she asked in disbelief. "But...why? I mean, I'm just a poor healthcare worker."

"It may be true that you're a healthcare worker, but you're also the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And the way you look after dad and Frasier makes you nothing short of an angel. I come over here day after day just to see you."

Daphne could hardly believe this. He came over nearly every day, just to see her?! It made no sense! But he'd always been such a gentleman, always complimenting her on her clothes, or noticing her perfume. But this was much more than that. She could see in his eyes that he was serious. He wanted to be with her. It all seemed crazy, the idea of starting a relationship with him. But, then, the radio play from last night had been unpredictable, and yet she'd enjoyed every minute. So, maybe the unexpected wasn't necessarily bad. She kissed him gently on the lips. It lasted a fraction of a second, but still, her heart reacted. He put his arms around her, holding her close. She felt unbelievably safe here in his arms.

Niles could hardly believe this was real. Daphne stayed there, her cheek resting on his shoulder. She didn't seem to want to talk, so he simply held her like that. After a moment, he spoke up. "I want you to know that I would never hurt you, Daphne. All I want to do is make you happy. If-if you'll let me, I mean."

Daphne laughed. Of course he'd make her happy. He'd been doing it since they met. She was still a little scared. But if she didn't get past that, she might miss out on something wonderful. She lifted her head from his shoulder. Immediately she found that she missed being able to feel his heartbeat. "Niles...I think I love you, too."

Niles looked at her in disbelief, wondering if he'd heard her correctly. When a tear escaped from her eye, he gently brushed it away. Before he could even think, Daphne put her arms around his neck. She kissed him once again, longer this time.

Their moment of bliss came to an abrupt end when Frasier came back into the room, clearing his throat.

"Dr. Crane!" Daphne said, immediately embarrassed.

"Frasier -" Niles began, desperately searching for a way to explain himself.

Frasier held up a hand, signaling for them to be quiet. "Obviously, something happened while I was in the other room. I may not particularly care to watch this display, but I love the both of you, and I wish you well. Since I'm in an unusually good mood at the moment, I'll make a small suggestion. Why don't the two of you go out to eat? Dad and I can manage on our own for the evening."

Daphne smiled at her boss, then walked over to hug him quickly. "Thank you, Dr. Crane!"

Frasier smiled at her. "You're welcome, Daphne. I suppose, in a way, this was inevitable. I hope you have a good time."

"Don't worry, Frasier," Niles said as Daphne walked over to him, taking his hand. "We will."

As Frasier watched the two take off together, he smiled to himself. _Nightmare Inn_ hadn't exactly been the success he'd hoped it would. Most people would probably forget the entire thing in a few days. But he had a feeling Niles and Daphne would remember it for the rest of their lives.

**The End**


End file.
